SIDNEY – The Shelby County Land Reutilization Corp. has started the foreclosure process on the former Wagner foundry in Sidney, a property local officials have wanted to clean up for years.
Land Bank Director Doug Ahlers said during Tuesday’s monthly meeting that he started the foreclosure process on the former foundry last week with the Shelby County Prosecutor’s Office. Because of the large scope of the foreclosure process, Ahlers didn’t have an estimate on how long the proceedings would take other than it would be a lengthy process.
“I saw at least 27 or 28 different liens against the property above and beyond taxes,” he said.
There are 26 tracts of land at the former foundry, so it cost almost $4,300 for the Land Bank to perform title searches on the property.
When a foreclosure date is imminent, the Land Bank also will need to have an Environmental Protection Agency survey completed that will be another expense.
On Sept. 30, the Ohio Land Bank Association will host a quarterly meeting with funding for brownfield properties on the agenda; Ahlers plans to attend that meeting. Brownfield land is previously developed land that is not in use and might be contaminated.
In other discussions, Ahlers reported the Land Bank has acquired properties at 510 N. Main St. in Sidney, 826 N. Main St. in Sidney and 326 W. Park St. in Sidney since its last meeting.
Two people attended Tuesday’s meeting and said they are interested in purchasing the property at 510 N. Main St. They requested more information from Ahlers about the purchasing process.
The property at 326 W. Park St., which went unsold at two sheriff’s sales, has someone living there, Ahlers said. Evictions proceedings have started.
“We believe him to have lived there for years without paying anybody anything,” Ahlers said.
If the person living at the property pays the delinquent taxes and expenses – approximately $21,000 to $22,000 – he could get possession of the property.
“He said he’s going to try to do that, but we still are proceeding with eviction on that property just because he has not performed other things he’s promised to do in the past,” Ahlers said.
A property at 12266 Short Drive, Minster, is being sold through a sealed bid with closing on the property set to be completed by Oct. 1.
If the winning bidder for the property, which is located on Filburns Island at Lake Loramie, isn’t able to secure funding by Oct. 1, the property would be sold to the second highest bidder.
The Land Bank plans to demolish a property it owns at 304 High St. in Port Jefferson. There is someone interested in buying that property.
The Land Bank has four properties in foreclosure including a property owned by John Deeter at 216 E. Main St. in Port Jefferson, a property owned by Billy Schloss at 304 High St. in Port Jefferson, a property owned by CW Thomas at 411 Sixth Ave. in Sidney and a property owned by Clay Murphy at 219 Washington St. in Sidney.
The Land Bank has acquired a total of 97 properties. It has demolished 77 of them, sold 17 and owns three that haven’t been demolished.
Treasurer John Coffield reported the Land Bank had $8,045.50 in expenses in June and $5,393.80 in expenses in July. It had $500 in revenue in July. It has $528,214.43 in its checking account.
The Land Bank’s next meeting is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Sept. 21 in the Shelby County Annex.
